You are here

College football roundup

The Associated Press

ATLANTA — AJ McCarron threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper with 3:15 remaining, and No. 2 Alabama advanced to a national championship showdown with Notre Dame by holding off No. 3 Georgia 32-28 in a thrilling Southeastern Conference title game Saturday.

The Crimson Tide (12-1) trailed 21-10 after Alec Ogletree returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown in the third quarter.

But after Alabama surged ahead, it was Georgia (11-2) nearly pulling it out.

The Bulldogs were at the Alabama 4 after Chris Conley hauled in a short pass but the clock ran out before the Bulldogs could get off another play.

Both teams played like champions, but only the Tide is moving on to face the top-ranked Fighting Irish. The Tide will get a chance to make it three out of four when they face top-ranked Notre Dame for the BCS crown on Jan. 7 in Miami.

For the Bulldogs (11-2), the consolation prize will likely be a spot in the Capital One Bowl, though they certainly looked like a team fully deserving of a BCS bid.

Alabama rallied behind a punishing run game, finishing with 350 yards on the ground, an SEC championship game record. Eddie Lacy finished with 181 yards on 20 carries, including two TDs. Freshman T.J. Yeldon had 153 yards on 25 carries, also scoring a TD.

KANSAS STATE 42, TEXAS 24

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Collin Klein threw a touchdown pass and ran for two scores and No. 7 Kansas won its third conference title in 117 years and earned a trip to the Fiesta Bowl.

In front of their sixth sellout in seven home games, the Wildcats (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) tied their team record for victories in a season and matched Oklahoma’s Big 12 record.

TCU’s fourth-down pass to the goal-line in the final minute was well-defended and fell incomplete.

The Sooners (10-2, 8-1 Big 12) won their eighth consecutive Big 12 game since a late-September loss to Kansas State, which played it regular-season finale at home Saturday night against No. 23 Texas. Oklahoma would have the outright title and guaranteed BCS spot if the seventh-ranked Wildcats lose.

Oklahoma, whose only other loss was to No. 1 Notre Dame, is in good shape for the final at-large BCS berth even if K-State wins.

FLORIDA STATE 21, GEORGIA TECH 15

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — James Wilder Jr. ran two touchdowns as No. 13 Florida State captured its first Atlantic Coast Conference championship since 2005 and earn a trip to the Orange Bowl.

It was Florida State’s 13th ACC title.

The heavily favored Seminoles (11-2) built a 21-6 lead at the half and held on to win, helping to erase some of the sting from last week’s 37-26 loss to their bitter rival, No. 4 Florida.

Despite its record, Georgia Tech (6-7) is bowl eligible after receiving a waiver from the NCAA on Thursday.

It looked like Georgia Tech, a two-touchdown underdog, might get blown out, but the game wasn’t decided until Karlos Williams intercepted Tevin Washington with less than a minute remaining.

The Yellow Jackets slowed down the Seminoles in the second half and forced two turnovers by quarterback EJ Manuel to get back in the game.

WISCONSIN 70, NEBRASKA 31

INDIANAPOLIS — Montee Ball ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns, and Wisconsin rushed for the 539 yards to win the Big Ten title game.

The Badgers (8-5, 4-4 Big Ten) are the first team to reach the Rose Bowl with five losses, are the first Big Ten team to make it in three straight years since Michigan in the late 1970s.

They also tied Texas’ record for most points in a conference championship game.

It was a fitting end to a wacky Big Ten season that pitted the No. 13 Cornhuskers (10-3, 7-1), the Legends Division champ, against the third-place team from the Leaders Division.

But Nebraska never had a chance with Ball and his teammates running wild.

Melvin Gordon ran for 217 yards and one TD, while James White had 108 yards, four TDs and one TD pass.

OREGON STATE 77, NICHOLLS STATE 3

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Storm Woods ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter and No. 17 Oregon State put up its highest point total ever.

Oregon State (9-3) started playing its substitutes against the lower-division Colonels in taking a 35-0 halftime lead. Markus Wheaton caught 12 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown and sat out the second half.

Officials from both schools decided to put off the Sept. 1 opener when the storm bore down on the Colonels’ campus in Thibodeaux, La.

The Beavers had a complete turnaround from their 3-9 finish last year. Oregon State is possibly headed to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego on Dec. 27, and representatives from that bowl and the Alamo Bowl were in attendance. The team will learn its destination on Sunday.

BOISE STATE 27, NEVADA 21

RENO, Nev. — Joe Southwick threw two touchdown passes to lead No. 25 Boise State to a share of the Mountain West Conference title.

The Broncos and ensuring their nation’s best seventh consecutive 10-win season.

D.J. Harper ran for 130 yards for Boise State (10-2, 7-1) and the Broncos’ defense put the clamps on a Nevada offense that was averaging 38 points per game.

Stefphon Jefferson ran for 139 yards and a touchdown and Cody Fajardo passed for 203 yards and ran for 81 for the Wolf Pack (7-5, 4-4), who lost four of their last five games after starting the season 6-1.

Matt Miller caught seven passes for 127 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown from Southwick that put Boise ahead late 24-7.